Potentially habitable planet discovered ~100 light years from earth

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
I get a little annoyed with these "We found another Earth!" stories.

We keep finding these planets around red dwarfs. These are the most common stars in the universe, but they're also a fraction of the size of the sun, very dim, any very unstable. Since they have a low mass, they have a problem holding their energy in, causing constant violent solar flares. On top of that, the habitable zone around a red dwarf would be closer than the orbit of Mercury. Being that close, the planet will almost certainly be tidally locked (meaning one side will always face the star).

The result will be a planet that's constantly blasted with radiation, an atmosphere that was very likely blown away (unless there's some complx method of replentishing it), one side very hot and one side very cold, and very likely a small sliver of the planet in the "twilight" area that could have any substancial amount of water.

Yes, it's Earth sized. However the chances of life aren't that great.
 
Jun 18, 2000
11,201
772
126
I get a little annoyed with these "We found another Earth!" stories.

We keep finding these planets around red dwarfs. These are the most common stars in the universe, but they're also a fraction of the size of the sun, very dim, any very unstable. Since they have a low mass, they have a problem holding their energy in, causing constant violent solar flares. On top of that, the habitable zone around a red dwarf would be closer than the orbit of Mercury. Being that close, the planet will almost certainly be tidally locked (meaning one side will always face the star).

The result will be a planet that's constantly blasted with radiation, an atmosphere that was very likely blown away (unless there's some complx method of replentishing it), one side very hot and one side very cold, and very likely a small sliver of the planet in the "twilight" area that could have any substancial amount of water.

Yes, it's Earth sized. However the chances of life aren't that great.

But you're saying there's a chance...
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,657
33,495
136
Sun turnin' 'round with graceful motion
We're setting off with soft explosion
Bound for a star with fiery oceans
It's so very lonely, you're a hundred light years from home
 

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
17,347
16,601
146
I get a little annoyed with these "We found another Earth!" stories.

We keep finding these planets around red dwarfs. These are the most common stars in the universe, but they're also a fraction of the size of the sun, very dim, any very unstable. Since they have a low mass, they have a problem holding their energy in, causing constant violent solar flares. On top of that, the habitable zone around a red dwarf would be closer than the orbit of Mercury. Being that close, the planet will almost certainly be tidally locked (meaning one side will always face the star).

The result will be a planet that's constantly blasted with radiation, an atmosphere that was very likely blown away (unless there's some complx method of replentishing it), one side very hot and one side very cold, and very likely a small sliver of the planet in the "twilight" area that could have any substancial amount of water.

Yes, it's Earth sized. However the chances of life aren't that great.
Also nevermind the fact that close to a star is probably getting bathed in radiation.

Also, it's just at likely they're all barren due to tidal locking destroying the magnetic dynamo.
 

AdamK47

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
15,758
3,592
136
I get a little annoyed with these "We found another Earth!" stories.

We keep finding these planets around red dwarfs. These are the most common stars in the universe, but they're also a fraction of the size of the sun, very dim, any very unstable. Since they have a low mass, they have a problem holding their energy in, causing constant violent solar flares. On top of that, the habitable zone around a red dwarf would be closer than the orbit of Mercury. Being that close, the planet will almost certainly be tidally locked (meaning one side will always face the star).

The result will be a planet that's constantly blasted with radiation, an atmosphere that was very likely blown away (unless there's some complx method of replentishing it), one side very hot and one side very cold, and very likely a small sliver of the planet in the "twilight" area that could have any substancial amount of water.

Yes, it's Earth sized. However the chances of life aren't that great.
The "We found another Earth!" stories are the monetization of publicly made scientific data by for profit media. Written in a 3rd grade or lower level to draw in the most amount of clicks for ad revenue. Easy money.
 

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,920
2,161
126
The "We found another Earth!" stories are the monetization of publicly made scientific data by for profit media. Written in a 3rd grade or lower level to draw in the most amount of clicks for ad revenue. Easy money.

When they find a class G or K star with an Earth-size planet between .7 and 1.5 AU from the host, someone buzz my phone.
 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,738
126
Hope they're doing better than us... ;)

hopefully 90+ hab/90+ metal

high hability with low resources isnt going to make for a great colony.
(think Dune desert planet)
 
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JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,738
126
I get a little annoyed with these "We found another Earth!" stories.

We keep finding these planets around red dwarfs. These are the most common stars in the universe, but they're also a fraction of the size of the sun, very dim, any very unstable. Since they have a low mass, they have a problem holding their energy in, causing constant violent solar flares. On top of that, the habitable zone around a red dwarf would be closer than the orbit of Mercury. Being that close, the planet will almost certainly be tidally locked (meaning one side will always face the star).

The result will be a planet that's constantly blasted with radiation, an atmosphere that was very likely blown away (unless there's some complx method of replentishing it), one side very hot and one side very cold, and very likely a small sliver of the planet in the "twilight" area that could have any substancial amount of water.

Yes, it's Earth sized. However the chances of life aren't that great.

i knew earth's moon was tidal locked.
didnt know planets could be to the sun.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,761
10,171
136
I get a little annoyed with these "We found another Earth!" stories.

We keep finding these planets around red dwarfs. These are the most common stars in the universe, but they're also a fraction of the size of the sun, very dim, any very unstable. Since they have a low mass, they have a problem holding their energy in, causing constant violent solar flares. On top of that, the habitable zone around a red dwarf would be closer than the orbit of Mercury. Being that close, the planet will almost certainly be tidally locked (meaning one side will always face the star).

The result will be a planet that's constantly blasted with radiation, an atmosphere that was very likely blown away (unless there's some complx method of replentishing it), one side very hot and one side very cold, and very likely a small sliver of the planet in the "twilight" area that could have any substancial amount of water.

Yes, it's Earth sized. However the chances of life aren't that great.
Earth is a magnificent thing, and humans are beyond miraculous. We should do what's necessary to keep the place inhabitable.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
40,761
10,171
136
hopefully 90+ hab/90+ metal

high hability with low resources isnt going to make for a great colony.
(think Dune desert planet)
I have so far not gotten into Dune. I cut my teeth on Scifi, read lots, my first love in reading but somehow I didn't read Dune or see any movies. I just checked out Dune 2021 from the library in Blu-ray. Saw it highly recommended as true to the spirit and details of Herbert's book, so figure I'll try it. I think I did try the book not long ago but it rubbed me the wrong way with its supernatural considerations. I had a similar reaction to the Harry Potter books and movies, I'm just allergic to supernatural fiction. I bought a few copies of the movies, actually, have yet to watch them.
 

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
12,065
2,768
136
Contrary to some people's viewpoints, this solar system is a pretty special place and so is Earth...especially for its "self-aware" blobs of matter inhabiting it. ;)
 
Jul 27, 2020
27,699
18,968
146
I have so far not gotten into Dune. I cut my teeth on Scifi, read lots, my first love in reading but somehow I didn't read Dune or see any movies. I just checked out Dune 2021 from the library in Blu-ray. Saw it highly recommended as true to the spirit and details of Herbert's book, so figure I'll try it. I think I did try the book not long ago but it rubbed me the wrong way with its supernatural considerations. I had a similar reaction to the Harry Potter books and movies, I'm just allergic to supernatural fiction. I bought a few copies of the movies, actually, have yet to watch them.
Have to agree with you. Never could get into Harry Potter but I did watch all three of the Fantastic Beasts movies which were somewhat enjoyable (because the protagonist is quirky) and the beasts are amusingly fantastic :D

Dune (2021), everyone says it's the best movie ever but honestly, I thought it was weird. The whole desert and scarce resources (even moisture!) was more depressing than interesting. I don't like movies that make me feel depressed.
 
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